Andrew Van Galder

Hired as independent contractor by Decision Systems, LLC to assist in process formalization and client support during periods of client growth from small to medium business.

• Performed process definition and refinement in support of client growth and expansion phase for client Helpdesk.
• Planned, designed, and scheduled phases for transition to Microsoft 365 business.
• Met project deadlines efficiently, offering maximal value to clients, while maintaining high quality standard.
• Established effective communication among team members from Finland to various locations across the US .

Led the Communications Subsystem segment of the Dragon Shield contract, valued at over $100 million and deemed critical to the future viability of international sales, with the bulk of the work performed in Tampere, Finland.

• Completed the design and integration of network, data links, aircraft intercommunications system, and encryption appliances across airborne and ground network segments, as well as ground mission systems.
• Played a critical role amid significant project staff turnover and stagnant progress, contributing to the successful delivery and completion of the contract.
• Selected for a small team to travel abroad, conducting the first on-site integration events crucial for future activities and the eventual relocation of project staff to an overseas worksite.
• Developed missing system-level diagrams during integration, facilitating the identification and remediation of design and workmanship defects with subcontractor deliveries.
• As a member of a lean engineering staff, provided technical writing to meet contract requirements. Authored technical and operations manuals for three platform subsystems, delivering operations and maintenance training to end users and maintenance personnel.
• As the sole engineer with military aircrew expertise, authored aircrew checklist supplements and emergency procedures necessary for flight test and operation certification through the Finnish aviation authority. Resolved a critical intercommunications defect, enabling the commencement of crewed flight operations.
• Flew approximately 50 flight test sorties in support of full operational capability certification.
• Provided sole on-site engineering and logistic support during the first year of system operation post-delivery. Responsible for capturing and troubleshooting anomalies and defects during the system’s initial year of operation.
• Coordinated and processed international shipments of tools and equipment for repair and contract closeout. Swiftly acquired expertise in international shipment documentation and duty taxes for both commercial and defense materials.

System engineer for a roll-on/roll-off airborne ISR platform program. Program approach was to leverage existing military and commercial off-the-shelf solutions to deliver advanced capabilities to military user for a relatively low cost, fielded much more quickly than traditional defense programs. Over 8 years, responsible as task engineering lead for over $150 million in billed sales. Engineering tasks encompassed entire contract and product life cycle, from proposal through delivery, upgrade, or deprecation, including formal contract acceptance on-site and in-person support during real-world operation.

• Lead teams of mechanical, electrical, software, and other systems engineers as well as subcontractors, including tracking and reporting of earned value and contract performance to program management.
• Hired as a junior system engineer, was able to learn quickly on the job to become a key member of the engineering staff and trusted by the user and government customer. Due to positive performance, promoted twice to system engineer, senior.
• As a former user of similar systems, leveraged operator and maintenance experience to design more maintainable equipment and intuitive user interfaces and methods of operation.
• Replaced and expanded audio routing and data recording subsystems from a fixed scale, analog-only system to an expandable analog and digital composite system (El, multiple analog audio source impedances, VoIP).
• Developed operator interfaces and concept of operation for replacement digital intercommunications system which interfaced with existing aircraft ICS system, controlled multiple radios, and mixed audio outputs to system operators.
• Integrated military datalink text and voice communications into existing system operator software environment and intercommunications system.
• Engineering lead for multiple contracts relating to KVM switching, allowing system
  operators the ability to control any connected application or server on the system across
  two displays and securely segregating between discrete security domains.
• Designed and deployed integration of off-platform IP data links using INMARSAT, a Ku- band SATCOM link, and a TCDL line-of-sight link and implementing encryption-in-transit through hardware appliance and performance enhancing proxy and utilizing dynamic multipoint
  VPN configured in routers for each security domain and implementing a real-time TOS that could be defined prior to encryption at runtime by system operators for data shaping over dissimilar links, coordinating with government representatives to maintain Department of Defense security accreditation.
• Implemented an onboard SAN solution that allowed for PXE boot fora majority of the onboard systems and developed method for recovery, packaging, and duplication of data for offline processing.
• As task lead, developed training materials and conducted training sessions for end users and maintenance personnel, as well as technical, user, and maintenance documentation as part of contract required deliverables.
• Responsible for key design elements of a ground-based training system, including the training system core infrastructure and scenario creation element.

Performed and supervised acquisition, recording, transcribing, translating, analyzing, and reporting of assigned voice communications.
• Operated and managed operation of communications equipment. Operated radio receivers, recording equipment, keyboards, computer consoles, and related equipment. Monitored and recorded communications adding appropriate comments to assist in transcription and analysis. Performed preventive maintenance on mission equipment. Processed communications, using applicable working aids and references, transcribes, performs preliminary analysis on, and summarized communications in accordance with established formats and priorities. Translated spoken or written material, recognized essential elements of information, analyzed communications, and reporting items of interest. Maintained technical aids, logs, and records. Compiled and maintained operation records and statistics. Completes, annotates, and distributes logs, forms, and correspondence. Developed and maintained handbooks, working aids, and analytical references to ensure applicability and currency. Reviewed, updated, and compiled data for operational use and trend reporting.
• In standards and evaluation section, developed and administered tests and performed regular and no-notice job qualification evaluation and certification.
• Served three years as a Direct Support Operator, provided direct tactical support to USAF Special Operations Command mission operations.
• As Korean language subject matter expert, developed training materials and test materials for job qualification, as well as realistic training scenarios for training sorties and joint US- Republic of Korea real-world contingency planning operations.